12
by opheliapain19
Summary: Max goes into heat and unexpectedly, encounters Alec. Will they be able to deal with what happens next? MAL Prequel To 'Beginning Again'- A must read for '12' lovers!


"12" by Jensens Sugar  
  
Description- M/A. Max goes into heat and Alec picks up the scent. Can they live with thier mistake or will it haunt them forever?  
  
Rating- PG-13 (some sensual dialogue, angst)  
  
12.  
  
It was a heavy and angry knock that startled Alec awake. Rubbing his eyes, his focus shifts to his clock. '12:00' he mouths. He was more than 3 hours late for work. More pounding. "I'm coming!" he shouts. Cracking his knuckles as he makes his way to the door, a strong and unbelievable aroma fills his lungs. Click, unclick, swing. It was Max. "Overload on the perfume, Max?" he asks. Her placid expression told him questions weren't what she came for. "Your 3 1/2 hours late. Normals goin' biserk. I was hoping to find you at least mamed but instead I get this." Max says, pointing to a pair of pink underwear hanging off the coat rack. Alec clears his throat, "Oh, I forgot about those." She walks in, stopping abruptly a few feet away from the door. Alec sighs, breathing in more of that incredible scent. "What...are...you...wearing? It's so,..." Max turns and rushes into the hallway, "Well, I warned you. See you later-" she starts. "At Crash, like usual?" he finishes. She barely gives a nod as she heads away. Alec moves forward the hallway, watching her as she leaves. 'Mm. What is this smell?' he asks himself. Whatever it was, he couldn't wait to feel the sensation it brought him again. Better get going if I wanna be in by...   
  
1.  
  
I practically had to force myself out of Alec's apartment and away from him. I knew he could smell it and that if I stayed any longer, neither of us would have been able to control ourselves. What was Manitcore thinking, building me with the dna of a cat with these unstoppable and practically unpredictable heats I get every once and awhile. If I knew about it earlier, which I should have been able to detect, I would have asked for the day off. But Normal would flip if I asked now. 4:00. I will be free then. I looked down at my watch...br  
  
2.br  
  
That scent. Its been driving me insane all day. I asked Sketchy if he could smell it and he told me 'no'. I told him it was probably because he was too high. He agreed. But out of all the things driving me insane that day, it was Max that drove me the most. I tried to not notice before but she was actually very attractive. Okay, maybe I didn't try that hard. One kiss and I'd be happy. One passionate kiss. Was that too much to ask? I'll get around to it at...  
  
3.  
  
How could I have been so clumsy? I let him get to close. Oh God, what do I do now? It began during lunch break, as I tried cooling my nerves with some relaxing yoga excercises, in the empty storage lot behind Jam Pony. Hardly anyone ever went back there and I was all alone. In the middle of a sun salute, Alec came slinking around the corner, his nose sniffing me out. I fell over. I wasn't prepared enough for this temptation. I told him to stay away. "Listen, about that perfume..." he began to ask, when dead in his tracks he stopped. Looking at me, a wild haze in his eyes, I knew then I was never going to stop it. Throwing all common sense to the wind, we ran at each other, kissing and attacking each other like tigers; wild animals. "Max-" he breathed in between kisses. He knew it was wrong and so did I but neither of us cared. At least not until 10 minutes later. But it was 10 minutes too late. Now I really wanna be gone by...  
  
4.  
  
I never wanted it to go that far but I was careless. We were careless. Staring at that crimson red brick and sullen grey cement, I knew I'd made a mistake. But it was too late. Maybe we'd forget about it. Any other time, I would. But this wasn't any other time and certainly not any other girl. What had I done? I wish I wasn't an X-...  
  
5.  
  
It's been two weeks since I've even looked at Alec. Logan and I have a date tonight, but I wasn't in the mood. Thankfully, my heat was over. Shortfully after what happened, I've had these odd mood swings. Original Cindy told me that after her 'cycle' she gets cranky too. With almost inaudible words, I mumbled back, 'So, your in heat every day?'. Today was a bad day and I took it as one too, but normally I could sail through them on my sarcasm and wit. So could Alec. But nothings been the same since that day. Later that day at work, Original Cindy handed me a note, expressing her irritated attitude on being Alec's personal delivery girl. By Alec. To me. Slowly, I opened it hesitantly.  
  
Hey Max, how are you doing? We need to talk. You promised awhile back if I needed to talk to you, I could. Tonight is your lucky night. 7:00. Bring a friend but expect us to talk alone for awhile. Peace.   
  
-Alec  
  
So thats what I'm doing now. Getting ready to leave. Logan called about five minutes earlier and said he'd swing by Crash later, to talk over some papers with me on some local drug lord. Yay. Can't wait til...  
  
6.  
  
I needed to see her. No matter how ashamed I was of what I did to her, I needed to know how she was. My feline instincts recently told me her molecular structure has changed but I couldn't tell if it was just a cold. But X-5's weren't prone to sickness because of our genetics so, something had happened. Mostly, I was concerned about our relationship. Even though it consisted of teasing and bickering, she was the only real friend I had. Plus, the biggest crush I'd ever had. Only one more hour and it will be...  
  
7.  
  
There he was, leaning against the bar, hands folded and head down. He was hurting too. "Hey, big guy." He turned and looked at me, "Oh, wow, your talking to me." he replied. He almost sounded thankful. "Well, I wasn't talking to the chair, if thats what you thought." He chuckled. I got myself a seat and motioned Orignal Cindy to meet me by the pool tables, like we discussed earlier. "How are you?" he asked. "Could use a few beers." I remarked. More chuckles. Whoa. I thought I was fine but something was definatly telling me the opposite right now. Thats when it hit me like a ton of bricks, although bricks would have been far less painful. "Max?" Alec asked, worried. "Oh, my gosh..." I mumbled and ran off the chair and for the door. "Max, hold on!" Alec called, running after me. Bent over and sick to my stomach, Alec took ahold of my waist and held them steady as I wobbled around the dark alley. I couldn't believe it. I was pregnant. Or maybe it was something I...  
  
8.  
  
If violating her wasn't enough, I got her pregnant too. Logan stopped by 30 minutes later and took Max back to his place. How was she going to hide this? With White on her tail, how could she push a stroller as she bolts away from danger? The thought of Max getting hurt was my top concern, apart from how Logan was going to react. Max loved Logan, thats it. And I screwed her over. No pun intended. No amount of liquor was going to make this disapear. This would haunt me the rest of my life. How many months til it's born? Oh, yeah...  
  
9.  
  
Laying awake, listening to the sounds of hollering and cries outside my window, I caressed my 6 month progressed stomach, thinking of her future. Nearby was Alec, boiling a heat pack to lay on my swollen legs. His familiar silhouette brought comfort to my many aches and fears, even though I knew he was in pain himself. Fired from Jam Pony on violating the inter-office dating policy and unable to find another job, he became forced to peddle Andie again, something he swore he'd never do. Constantly concerned for our safety (Eva and me), his attitude towards the tiniest things changed so drastically. And slower everyday, the Alec I once knew, began to slip away. I'm tired and it's only...  
  
10.  
  
She was so delicate but hated me treating her that way. But I couldn't help it. I put her in this position because of some stupid smell. I couldn't have just let it go? Of course, I knew that was nearly impossible. Every instinct I had told me to go for it, who was there to tell me 'no'? "Alec, come in here. She's kicking again." Max called. Through every impatient moment, it was moments like this that made them all worth while. Silently I crept next to my bed where she was resting and placed my hand down on her stomach, gently. With a shine of sheer enthusiasm, I glared up at her and smiled, "Thats Eva?" I asked. She nodded and laughed, "Trippy, ain't it?" she replied. Looking into her eyes, I feel more shame. But she would have just told me, like she had in the past, 'I'm not sorry'. Of course she wasn't sorry, she didn't do this. Knock, knock, knock. "Oo, Logans come to get me." she said, hoisting herself up. To the door I made my way, pauisng my motion to turn the knob. This is how it all started. Oh, I was being stupid. It was just Logan. If it were another X-5 in heat, I think I would have smelled her by now. Click, unclick, swing. "Hey." I mumbled. "Yeah, hey, Alec...Max? You ready?" he called. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Logan and Max embrace each other and kiss. Blink. Don't forget to blink. "I'm ready for those lame lamaze classes." Max exclaimed as she passed me by, that glittering engagement ring stinging me in the eye. "I'll see you later then..." I replied, only it felt like I was talking to myself. "Bye, Alec. Thanks." Max replied. Thanks? For what? I didn't deserve a thanks. I deserved a good stoning but a thanks? No. But was Max even thinking about how much I over analized everything she said to me? Probably not. And if she did, she wasn't letting on any time soon. I'll just do what I usually do every night and meet Sketchy at Crash in 30 minutes. Soon, it will be...  
  
11.   
  
Eva was so big now and ready to meet the world. After 9 months of agony, I was ready for her to meet the world as well but Alec, well, he had his reservations. He told me a few weeks ago that he'd never intentionally hurt Eva but that bringing her into a world so broken made him feel like he was condemning her to a life of disapointment and pain. His words punched me right in the face. Pain was the last thing I wanted Eva to experiance. She would have a better life than Manticore gave me, that was for sure. But Alec didn't believe in second chances for Eva, especially with genetically enhanced killing machines as her parents. There was bound to be some tripped out genes in there somewhere. Ow. A horrible twinge in my spine sent me into an exasperated pant. "Oh, god..." I cried out. Slumped over Logans recliner, I began moaning and calling for help. In ran Alec, Logan walking steadily behind. Alec's look was panic and anxiety but Logans was so cool. It was Alec I was worried more for. Breathing became a rhythm as Logan coached me through the excercises, Alec calling the hospital behind me. 1,2,3,4,5,breath,6,7,8,9,10,breath,11,...  
  
12.  
  
So, this was it. The call to the hospital was a breeze compared to what happened next that night. Logan insisted on me driving her to the hospital and getting her to delivery. Everything was on me. Dr. Carr, Max, Logan, and my own unsteady conscience were depending on me to get through this night. Nervously, I made my way through the busy and cluttered streets of Seattle, Max's rhythmic and some-what comforting blows of breath in the backseat. Soon, Eva would be born and I'd be a father. Only my child would never know her true father. At least she'll be taken care of. But if only things were different. I wish this never happened. If only I could turn back time to that morning. 12. I'dve never answered that door. This was only the beggining. 


End file.
